Inane Affections
by boyarina
Summary: Overprotective Neji as always and a very perverted Gaara fighting over our poor Hinatachan. Let's see who is going to win, ne?
1. Gaara's Sand

**Author's Notes:**

Hi! I know I am a very lousy author. I can't concentrate on one fanfic at a time. Gomen! Anyways, hope you like this one.

DISCLAIMER:

It's not my destiny to be Naruto's beloved nor to be his owner (although I would very much like to be both), therefore I do not own Naruto.

**INANE AFFECTIONS**

**by Boyarina**

**Chapter 1: Gaara's Sand**

Hinata, if it actually is applicable to her, is just about ready to kill. If it hadn't been for the legendary self-control that all Hyuugas naturally possess, she would have instantly gone for the throat by now.

Cut the air supply, and bleed the bastard dry. Yes, this poor, fumbling Hinata that everyone thought weak would have very much like to take advantage of this chance had it presented itself right now.

This is getting ridiculous. Neji-niisan had always been protective of her, but this level of guardianship should be prohibited in all villages (hidden or not).

All she did was hang out with Gaara! And that is definitely not a crime.

Okay so maybe it was a _little bit _dangerous considering that you could never really fathom what mood (killer or just plain sour) Gaara would be in, but still! It so does not merit the kind of behaviour that Neji-niisan had allotted to it.

Technically, the term 'hanging out with Gaara' does not even describe the time she had spent with the kazekage. Considering that she had merely bumped into him in the hallway during the time she was making her way to get some nice evening air, and had gotten trapped in his sand--well, you could hardly call_ that _hanging out.

Neji-niisan should not have been mad in the first place for if it is at the idea that she was hanging out with Gaara-sama he had been pissed at, she definitely _have not done _any of the sort.

Due to the mountains of paper work that had been dumped to her, Hinata had thought that a time off for this evening is in order. The combined effects of mountains of paperwork, long hot day, strained formality (a facade of nobility for the elders of Suna) had finally driven her out of her room, lest she suffers the effects of suffocation.

Wearing the lightest of all her clothing--a light bue shirt that is held by white wide straps on her shoulders and a white skirt that reached past her knees, she slipped out of her room, checking to make sure that nobody would be there to catch the sight of her leaving.

A mere five feet from her chamber doors, and she started celebrating her luck as she had made her escape from her room undetected. It did not last long though. Dashing her happy thoughts of freedom is the trail of sand that started to snake around her ankles, pinning her in place.

Breath hitched in the back of her throat as she brought her two hands to her chest in a nervous gesture she has never really grown out of. She would have started panicking, instinct to fight and defend herself would have taken over right after if Gaara hadn't shown himself from his darkened corner.

"Where are you going, Hinata-sama?" he asked using that husky voice she had associated with him whenever he is speaking in front of polite society. He looked at her expectantly so she gave him a shaky smile in return.

"G-gonna," Hinata whispered, berating herself for stumbling on the first word she uttered to him directly. With an effort, she sucked in a lungful of air and gathered her courage to look him straight in the eye all the while ignoring the sand swirling around her legs and her feet.

"Gonna play hooky," She finally answered, smiling a bit sheepishly at how foolish her idea was.

It is nearly midnight after all.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Gaara-sama offered, his face not sporting its usual taut mask. He didn't call his sand to retract from her...(she would have said _feet_ but the said type of soil is now practically on her thigh).._.limb_ though, making her a tiny bit wary.

_Ignore it. Ignore it. Ignore it. Ignore it. Ignore it. Ignore it. IGNORE IT._

"I'd love that, Gaara-sama," Hinata replied, surprising even herself by not trembling given the situation that she is in. He could put her inside his desert coffin right now and no one would have been the wiser.

"Where are you going, Hinata-sama?"

That's a very good question. Right now, Hinata have no idea. Before, it had seemed to her a very good plan to just simply walk out the kazekage tower and let her feet take her to God-knows-where. Since she had always done it in Konoha, she figured she'd do the same here in Suna. Never had it occurred to her that she'd be caught though for not once had she been caught in Konoha.

Well, not to her knowledge anyways.

Hinata ducked her head, feeling once again foolish and sheepish.

"I...figured I could just wander around a bit...," she answered, voice trailing off, and fingers involuntarily starting to stage a battle in front of her and Gaara-sama. Hastily, she put them away and stole a peek at him. Much to her befuddlement, she found him smiling at her very, very, _very slightly._

If she didn't know that her eyesight is 20/20 (if not more), she would have rubbed her eyes and looked again at the Kazekage closely. But she knows what she had seen and she knows that there had been no mistake in it.

"Planning to get lost, are we?" he asked her, amusement very much obvious in his tone. Though she knows that he is most probably laughing at her, she chuckled along with him.

"Considering that you are going to come with me, getting lost is already out of the picture. Or," Hinata paused, looking at him slyly before faking a worried expression. "Should I be asking you that?"

Gaara-sama's face flushed pink here for a second, but quickly went back to its normal stoic expression. It had happened so fast, Hinata once again nearly doubted her eyesight, thinking that it is probably playing tricks on her.

But, again, there could not have been any mistake. It was there and she knew it. Now, the only thing she is most curious about is what exactly triggered _that._

"No worries," Gaara-sama said, his tone now more subdued (probably due to that flustered moment she had witnessed)," I know this place like the back of my hand."

_That husky voice is going to be permanently fixed in my mind_ was Hinata's last deliciously disturbing thought that night when Neji-niisan barged into their encounter looking pissed as hell.

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**Comments:**

I am trying to revise some chapters of Sassy-chan, all the chapters in All in Time and writing this fic because I need to drown in the Naruto-ness of it all. bows


	2. Finding Hinata

**Author's Notes:**

Hi! This is another chapter...I made it a long time ago I swear...I just wanna add...

DISCLAIMER:

I have ulcer but I do not own Naruto.

**INANE AFFECTIONS**

**by Boyarina**

**Chapter 2: Finding Hinata**

Neji is panicking. Yes, you heard it right. The great Hyuuga prodigy is experiencing that chest contricting, chills running down your spine sensation compounded with irrational and heavy sweating of face and hands. Worry is foreign sensation to him and it's making him want to strangle the two people who are the cause of this grievance.

(Hinata...)

It is beyond doubt that it is worried panicking that he is experiecing this very second. Indeed if he would wring his hands right now (a habit that Hinata-sama have perfected in the privacy of her room and an act that ONLY Neji have been a privy to) HUGE droplets of sweat would definitely be sprayed into the air, raining down on everything that would be unfortunate enough to be on its path. More so, if he had stayed long enough on a single spot there in the middle of the hallway, a puddle would definitely form from all the liquid that is coming out of him.

And THAT would simply be far too GROSS for the imagination. Neji, for the life of him, doesn't GROSS. He never have done it and nowhere near in the unforeseen future would he do it.

(Hinata is always neat and clean.)

Anyways, back to the reason why he, of all people, is panicking. Earlier, he came to check on Hinata-sama to make sure that she would stay in her room (since she had developed that queer habit of wandering around in the middle of the night, _of all times_) like what he had _hinted _during dinner (he didn't want her to know that he had been following around in her midnight rendezvous and had, even, by sheer _accident_---he swears it on his father's grave--got a peek of her completely unclothed, dowsing herself under a waterfall), but he didn't find any trace of her in her chambers at all.

(Hinata is sometimes a very stubborn and a very reckless person)

He is wondering now if Hinata-sama actually heard him making a snide remark about sleeping early and worrying about things the next morning. He could've sworn though that Hinata-sama, in her own fashion, had fully agreed with him, but apparently this is not the case. What it looks like right now is that she have simply given him a small nod just because it is him that she is speaking to.

(Hinata is sweet this way.)

She had probably been struck by her obsessive compulsion of getting things started early when she saw the mountain of paperwork dumped in her room, making all the responses come out of her automatically--with no obvious regard to what she is agreeing and disagreeing with.So typical of her to overwork herself and upon incurring unwanted stress, walk it off without any appropriate escorts.

(Hinata never bothers anyone not unless it is already a life threatening situation--a situation wherein she would place others first before her welfare)

Damn it, he didn't want her to wandering around in Suna. The surroundings and people here are both unfamiliar to Hinata-sama and if she ended up getting lost there won't be a compass good enough to get her back on the right track. More so, he is not sure as to whether there would be somene willing out there to help her if in case that inevitable event happens. No, he definitely do not think that Hinata is incapable of finding her way back, it's just that she'd rather be weak than to harm someone.

(Hinata is one of the strongest persons that he knows).

Then, of course, there is the walking threat in the form of the Kazekage. If there's one thing that hates the most in the idea of Hinata-sama walking around unsupervised, is the fact that she just mgiht bump into Gaara-sama. Sure, Gaara-sama have mellowed out a bit, but once in while, whenever Neji happens to glance his way he'd detect that almost mad glint in the Kazekage's eyes.

With Hinata's luck of attracting boy demons in their half-crazed states (insert picture here of Naruto with Kyuubi raging inside him, defending Hinata's dignity), she just might run into Gaara-sama having one of his moments with Shukaku dominating over his personality (not that Gaara-sama has a personality to begin with). There's the slim chance that Gaara-sama might not do any harm to the Hyuuga heiress (it's not such an impossibility if the Kazekage would end up developing an infatuation to her), but that's one chance that Neji is not willing to take.

(Hinata is a very captivating person).

Plus, Gaara never sleeps so the chances of Hinata meeting him at random just magnified ten-fold.

At this very moment, Neji's worst fears has just been confirmed. Standing before him, is Hinata-sama and Gaara-sama. Hinata-sama, to Neji's horror, has her legs wrapped in Gaara-sama's sand.

(Hinata you attract the strangest suitors).

Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Neji could feel his whole face twitching. The fact that Hinata-sama looked so calm and the fact that Gaara-sama's sand appears as though it is _caressing_ Hinata-sama's legs (sand going up...and...going down...ssslllloooowwwllllyyyy...rrrruuuubbbbbiiiiinnnnnggggg...) is not helping at _all._

Neither is his dirty mind. No, every--_darn_--thing is not helping the situation at all!

(Hinata, how do you get yourself in these kinds of situations?)

Nejis fisted his hands on his sides, trying to control his urge to attack the Kazekage or to lash out with his tongue, lest he misread the whole situation.

"Kazekage-sama," Neji began, forcing himself to be extra polite. "I don't mean to be rude, however, if you keep _that_ up, I'd be forced to move you _bodily_ from Hinata-sama." Somewhere along the lines, his polite voice (or at least he hoped he initially had used a polite tone) became a growl.

Gaara-sama looked at him somberly, probably thinking if it's best to follow Neji's suggestion (order). Then one corner of the Kazekage's mouth turned up and to Neji's poor untainted eyes (at least to his opinion) came the fleeting picture of an amused if not mischievous expression that sid _'Ive-been-killing-people-for-fun-but-this-seems-to-be-more-entertaining' _expression.

Neji shuddered.

If Hinata-sama's near ness isn't robbing him of much needed sleep lately, this would have surely done the trick.

(Hinata, why him?)

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**Comments:**

snicker...ngorkngorkngorkngork...snicker...ngork..ngork..ngork...this is bad...snicker...ngork...ngork...ngork...snicker...


	3. Taking Hinata Away

**Author's Notes:**

I am stuck creating chapter fourteen of Sassychan so I am typing (take note: typing) chapter three of Inane Affections...Enjoy...hopefully...

DISCLAIMER:

I need to feel the rush of happiness, anger and pain of these characters, but doesn't make me the owner of Naruto. As it is, I do not own Naruto.

**Inane Affections**

**by Boyarina**

**Chapter Three: Taking Hinata Away**

It all seemed so funny to Gaara. From the moment he caught Hinata sneaking around in the middle of the night, to this very moment whence Neji-san caught him practically molesting Hinata right in the middle of the hallway, it is majorly hilarious.

"Doshite, Neji-san?" Gaara drawled, his eyes not leaving those of Hinata's astonished ones. If it would not contradict so much with his personality, he would have grinned at her widely.

But at the risk of scaring Hinata away, he controlled his treacherous mouth.

"It is time for Hinata-sama to rest," Neji-san insisted sourly. At the corner of his eye, Gaara noticed him slowly stepping into the space beside Hinata.

Gaara's humour began to ebb away from him. She already had his prize in hand, a mere foot away from him, but Neji-san's presence--no, his possessiveness would soon steal her away.

It's was quite funny how Neji-san reacted when he saw how SNUG Hinata is in his "Hinata Pie.". He was enjoying himself quite nicely too even before Neji-san came to the picture, but it just got better when Neji-san came and volunteered (though he might not know of it, really) to be his and Hinata's audience.

Truth to be told, he is quite the voyeur.

Right now, Gaara feels deflated...probably a little jealous. The second Hinata had gotten over her surprise of seeing her cousin, (who had been none too pleased upon discovering her in his clutches) she gravitated toward Neji-san. Even with her feet moored to the ground, she still managed to half-twist and half-lean her body to become at least an inch closer to the older Hyuuga.

"Neji-niisan, I was about to go back to my room," Hinata said quietly, probably trying to placate her cousin.

Neji scowled. "Oh, really?" he asked disbelievingly as he pointedly looked at the sand at her feet.

Hinata opened her mouth to (most likely) blurt out a hastily made up excuse. Gaara had something differrent in mind though. Considering how mortified Hinita is in the situation she is in and just how disapproving Neji looks, any fabricated truth will NOT do.

"I thought she was an intruder" Gaara said, stepping up and saving Hnata from her cousin's invitable interrogation, "That is why I stopped her."

Simple and to the point. Gaara is not one for gallanteries and though it is Hinata's sake that he is doing this, he didn't really want to go overboard.

Lest she catches up to what he is on.

Hmmmm...At this very moment, Hinata figuring out about his secret fascination of her should be part of the things he would have to least worry himself about. His main concern now is that Neji is trying to gundown his explanation with his cold glare as if his byakugan would help him find the holes in Gaara's statement.

Or he's just probably commanding Gaara to take his_ damn sand _off his cousin. For sure, Neji's glaze is steely enough that he could almost hear the _obscenities_ that are running though the Hyuuga's mind, giving Gaara a clear depiction of what Neji thought of his choice weapon now that it is wrapped around Hinata.

_...around Hinata's smooth and lovely...lovely...lovely legs..._

With a sigh, Gaara retracted his sand..._slowly_...he, after all, want to savor every second his grains slid across her skin.

Neji-san visibly relaxed (earlier he looked as though he was going to jump Gaara, ready to give hima taste of how _rough_ gentle-fist can be). Without the sand hindering his path, Neji-san took a step closer to Hinata, grasping one of her smaller hands in his own.

"Oyasumi, Kazekage-sama," Neji said curtly and bowed to him.

Gaara's mouth drew a tight line across his face, slightly peeved at Neji's insolence. If he hadn't been pleased by the sight of Hinata rubbing her legs absently as though something there is missing he would have enforced his authority so he would make Hinata stay longer.

But she is rubbing one of her legs absent-mindedly...almost carressingly...almost in the same that his sand had been doing earlier to her, so he resisted this mighty urge of planting her right next to him.

"Oyasumi," Gaara returned, relaxing his face back to its former stoicness.

For now, he would let Hinata go.

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Comments:

hi! hoped you liked it. ;)


	4. A little too close for comfort

Author's Notes:

I have turned to yoga, meditation, extrreme swimming sessions, but nothing, AND I MEAN NOTHING, could get my mind off the word REVIEWS. I feel like this world could not exist AT ALL without the word review. It's the worst! Whenever I am at that critical point of actually forgetting that the word review is part of the dictionary, it slams me back at the face. It's driving me crazy! It's stupid!

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own Naruto. Kapische?

Inane Affections

by Boyarina

Chapter 4: A little too close for comfort

Hinata is debating on whether she would thank her cousin or simply give him a good swat on the head that would rival that of Sakura's tap of affection (shesecretly calls it that) on Naruto's head.

She would like to thank Neji-niisan for saving her from Gaara-sama (a.k.a. the scary kazekage-dono, in her head) but she would very much like to bash him too for divesting her of a leisurely storll.

Right now she could do neither. He is marching her off LITERALLY (if you are within ten feet distance from them, you would hear the slapof their slippered feet against the marbled ground) to her room, his hand firmly clasped on her elbow.

For some reason, she feels as though her cousin wants to kaiten everything in sight and the one thing that is holding him back is his steady grasp on her.

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata inquired softly, allowing a small frown to arch on her brow so he would know that he is disgruntling her.(or to appropriately term it, is STILL disgruntling her; his earlier episode with Kazekage-dono counts)

A few feet away from her chamber door, Neji-niisan finally stopped. Without any warning, he lifted her by the waist and dumped her in front of him.

"What in Kami-sama's name are you wearing, Hinata-sama?" he asked sternly, his hands still on her waist, twisting her this way and that way, presumably so he could take a good look of her attire.

Though he stood a head and a half taller than her, Hinata did not have any problems extending her arms to get a solid grip on her cousin's shoulder so he would stop shaking her.

"N-neji-niisan, you're making me...dizzy...," she said, choking on the last word when Neji-niisan's grip on her tightened. She is having a hard time squeezing air into her lungs either due to Neji-niisan's vise-like grip or just plainly because he has his hands on her.

"I could see through your clothing, Hinata-sama," he intoned monotonously--too monotonously to Hinata's ears. It appears as though he is holding himself from breaking down and ranting at her.

And indeed, if that wasn't enough, the thinness of the fabric of her clothing seemed to mock her under his unrelenting hold.

Blushing, Hinata quicly retracted her arms back to her, clasping her hands in a prayerful gesture she resorts to whenever the familiar sense of embarassment overwhelms her.

"I don't," he pause, taking a deep breath, which he promptly exhaled out loudly, "want anyone seeing you like that."

His hands fell away from her waist and again Hinata felt the haunting disappointment she felt a while ago when Gaara-sama called his sand back, releasing her. She should not be feeling this way at all!

To Hinata's horror, she is discovering that Hanabi's words have a grain in truth in them. She, Hinata, needed closure--PHYSICAL closure at that.

Hinata bowed her head quickly before Neji-niisan catches the turmoil raging in them.

"Sumimasen," she murmurred, "I thought I would be able to take my walk alone. I didn't expect to bump into Kazekage-sama."

Neji-niisan made a sound (that was more or less a growl) at the back of his throat, telling her that he isn't going to accept her explanation.

"Are you hiding something from me, Hinata-sama?"

Her head shot up, shocked at what he said. He couldn't have simply read her thoughts just like that, could he? Oh, kami-sama, what if he caught that one little snippet (one little nasty snippet at that) floating in her head telling her--no, reminding her that she might (sust might be) attaracted to Neji-niisan a teensy-tiny bit.

"I-i wasn't hiding anything!" she exclaimed, internally wincing at how defensive she sounded.

Hinata wanted to slap her head on the forehead for Neji-niisan is now looking at her suspiciously.

"Were you and Gaara-sama planning to meet at midnight tonight?"

Though she had nothing to be guilty about, she flinched at the accusation she heard in his tone.

By pure coincidence, she and the kazekage had come across each other in the corridor. If in anycase that Gaara-sama patrols on that same area at the very same hour of every night, she had no prior knowledge of it and hadn't intentionally walked in on him.

What is Neji-niisan getting al riled up about? She hasn't really done anything wrong.

Befuddlement and sheer curiosity ruled out her carefully constructed sentence that would simply negate Neji-niisan's query, making her blurt out instead, "Is there an unwriteen rule somewhere forbidding me to meet Kazekage-dono at random places at night?"

Hinata instantly regretted her impetuousity when Neji-niisan was momentarily silenced by her words, astounded. Seeming to pull himself together, Neji-niisan narrowed his eyes and replied in clipped tones.

"I am forbidding it."

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comments:

to my aff reviewers:

i know the reviews for this fic had been piling up.; i know i kinda had been ignoring it..sorry about that...


	5. Cousins and One armed hugs

**Author's Notes:**

Yes, I know I have not updated this fic for quite a while. I never even knew I would be able to do so in fact.

Anyways, I am down on my knees, begging you, please give me a review.

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own Naruto.

**Inane Affections**

**By boyarina**

**Chapter 5: Cousins and One-armed hugs**

He is being far too territorial than he should have been in the first place. He could forgive those times that he lets the natural instinct of brotherly protectiveness (over-protectiveness?) but this…sense of ownership is inexcusable.

He does not own Hinata-sama. He would have to come in terms with the fact that especially now that they are older, he is not the only man he could brush skin to skin with her in their day to day encounters with other people.

He just couldn't even seem to take away from his mind that every time Hinata-sama comes within a foot of the opposite sex, sexual innuendos are flying all over the place. Either that or he has an over-active imagination, or that the shy, timid, and meek Hinata-sama that he knew of now already is learning the act of flirting.

Oh, Gods. Let that NOT be true. How in hell's name would he be able to escape the scene lest she decides to turn it on him?

One thing that calmed Neji down is that he knows that he would not be reduced to a blubbering fool if in any case Hinata-sama innocently plied that trade on him. He always has his infamous stoic expression that he could always hide behind on.

Hopefully, that would be enough to save him.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Hinata would have reveled more in her new found sense of defiance had it not been for the grim (and truth to be told, getting grimmer) expression on his face. So, instead of crossing her arms in front of him (which is really what she feel like doing as of the moment), she thought it'd be best to link her hands on the back and pout forlornly.

"Daijabou. I wasn't going to meet him anyways. I just happened to be at the same place that he was in earlier. Pure coincidence." Hinata mumbled. This had always had worked in Neji-niisan before but tonight seems like nothing would sway that formidable frown on his face. Tonight, it would seem that that 'I will protect Hinata-sama with my life' attitude-of-his (cavalier though it maybe) is on overdrive.

"Are you still going to insist on going alone together with Gaara-sama on the trip for market surveillance tomorrow?" he asked in his no-nonsense voice.

Hinata flinched. She had made that request a few days earlier, during the time she felt the need to know more about the Kazekage in a personal level. Diplomatic to a fault though she might be, she always considered friendship as the main thing that cements an alliance between two differing villages—especially Konoha and Suna since they had been in a war before.

"Why are you so uncomfortable with the idea of me being alone with Gaara-sama?" she asked, pausing to realize that she actually sounded STEELY. Quite unnerved by this, she consciously tucked a hair behind her one, shifting her gaze away from her cousin as she did so.

"I am a big girl now, Neji." She said softly this time, but with as much conviction as before. Indeed, being a twenty-year old, you would think that at least Neji would give her a chance—though it might just be a one time chance—to stand on her own.

Neji-niisan, instead of backing down, gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Are you harboring… feelings for the Kazekage, Hinata-sama?" he asked in this patronizing tone; the scowl on his face would have satan screaming for his mommy had it been directed to him.

Hinata, however, is not fazed by it. Considering that Neji-niisan had made it his habit to use it every time there is a male around her (for some reason it seems like there's never a shortage in the supply of this), she already had gotten quite used to that frightening-than-Kyuubi-itself frown.

Plus, this is his usual dialogue whenever he wears that expression on his face. Remembering this tonight of all time and on this place where—all things considered—she should only be indulging ambassador business, Hinata is hard-pressed not to chuckle. So, she tried her best to stifle it.

It came out anyway (though she already had pressed a hand over her mouth), making Neji-niisan growl in irritation.

"Neji…" she began, eyes softening despite the fact they are still crinkled in mirth, "I… thank you."

"Hmph. You haven't answered yet my question, Hinata." He said, tapping his foot impatiently against the floor.

Another giggle escaped her. She didn't know if it's because Neji-niisan finally dropped the salutation or if it is because the eventual hug that would follow right after it.

One thing is for sure. She is feeling MIGHTY giddy.

"Well?" Neji-niisan growled again.

Knowing that she is already treading on dangerous grounds, having been asked for the second time, Hinata shook her head with fervor.

"I don't Neji," she answered promptly, dropping her own salutation to him as a courtesy and as a… cue.

Pacified now (or so it seems) Neji-niisan held out a hand to her. Hinata let instincts took over her and stepped into her cousin's one-armed embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso as he awkwardly patted her back.

For some reason, though he is the one who initiated this ritual, Neji had always been awkward about it. The first time that they have hugged to seal an unspoken truce between the two of them was when he caught Shino's hands up her jacket. Her teammate was trying a new bug that was said to specialize on finding the perfect female mate for an Aburame male who is looking for one. The second Shino had shown it to her, the bug suddenly flew to the sleeve of her jacket and went inside of her clothes.

Shino, of course, was aghast. It was pretty obvious, actually. She could see by the tell-tale sign of his frown and by the way he immediately launched himself at her, muttering (either for his benefit or hers) "It comes only once every five years!"

"Can you not just call her back, Shino-kun?" she asked, both of her arms raised resignedly as his hand rummaged through her jacket and fishnet upper garment.

"Hinata…you have to understand. No one is allowed to control the female species of jeitemono." He said, pausing in his search to give her his explanation. Then, barely a second after her nod of acknowledgement, he resumed in his task, poking this time through the straps of the metal plate covering her chest area. "You have to coax them, play with them, gain their trust. Ah, there you are!"

It would have ended there considering that Shino-kun finally found what he had been looking for. Unfortunately, it was during the last two sentences that Shino had uttered when Neji-niisan made his arrival. Again, unfortunately for the two of them, because of their absolute preoccupation, they didn't notice Neji-niisan's presence until he made it known to them.

"I swear," Neji-niisan begun, boring dagger holes into Shino-kun's head, "If you don't take a step back away from her now, I will pop your arms out of their sockets."

Shino-kun, though seemingly unperturbed, drew a good five feet distance away from her.

"I was simply retrieving the jeitemono," Shino-kun said calmly, holding the evidence on his forefinger. Despite this, Neji-niisan's glare intensified. Fearing for her teammate's safety, Hinata decided to step in.

Even before she got a single syllable out of her mouth, Neji-niisan suddenly appeared before her. Without so much as a warning, he pulled her to him, causing her face to get crushed against the crook of his neck.

"Why did you not stop him, Hinata-sama?" He asked sternly, but the awkward way he was patting her back belied his words otherwise. "Did he try anything inappropriate?"

Her initial shock quickly dissolved when Neji-niisan's words registered in her brain. Using both her palms, she pushed away from him by an inch or two so she could raise her face up to him.

"Shino-kun really was just looking for the jeitemono, Niisan," she said softly, feeling the familiar warmth creeping up her neck to her cheeks. The rumble that his growl emanated vibrated through his chest into her hands, telling her that her Niisan is yet to pass the stage where castrating Shino-kun is the best solution warranted for the scene he had witnessed.

"He had his hand up your jacket! That is no excuse!" he grumbled, patting her still and acting as though this act of consolation would calm him down.

"Neji-niisan…" Hinata was unable to stop the exasperation that crept up her tone.

"Why are you defending that Aburame, Hinata?"

Pat. Pat.

Hinata sighed.

"Are you harboring feelings for him?" Pat. Pat.

"Eh?" Hinata looked at her cousin blankly at first, then, shot a brief backward glance at Shino-kun. She flashed him an apologetic smile, before turning back to her cousin and yanking on his ear.

"Neji!" she hissed. Her cousin did not even flinch though she is pretty sure that his earlobe had been smarting right then. The complexion of his ear which had actually turned pink (getting redder by the second) told her as much.

"Well?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

Hinata gave him a slight frown but didn't grace him with an answer. Turning back to Shino-kun, she plastered another apologetic smile on her face.

"Excuse my cousin, Shino-kun."

Her teammate mutely nodded at her. In fact, all throughout the exchange with her cousin, he had been silent—just simple watching... observing…

The gears on Hinata's head clicked noisily, bringing to her awareness just how Shino-kun is interpreting Neji's one-armed embrace.

"Hinata…" Neji-niisan's started again, his warning tone snapping her back from her unsettling realization.

"I-i don't Niisan!" she exclaimed, putting much fervor in her words. After few more pats on the back, Neji-niisan 'hnned' and at long last, released her.

For a second there, Hinata was thrown in the rift of indecision as she debated whether to feel at a loss or relieved now that she got her own personal space back.

After experiencing a couple more of these one-armed hugs, Hinata found out that even with the presence of somebody else, once Neji-niisan steps out of their embrace, it is NOT relief that overwhelms her.

Overly protective though he might be (yes, even to the point of ridiculousness), Hinata couldn't help letting her anger at him seep away and acknowledging the cold sense of loss once his arm drops away from her shoulders…

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Comments:

Okay, here we are on the point wherein the "submit a review" button is just but a few inches away. Please click it. It won't hurt. I promise. I swear it in my grave. Click it. Come on, you can do it.

Rah-rah-rah! Go! Click that button! Go! You could do it! Submit a review! Yeah!

(yes I sound like lunatic, but I need a review).


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